So we decided... our plan is to head to the hospital today to welcome our little guy into the world. Only problem is, there seem to be quite a few other babies who are wanting to come out, too. All the L&D rooms are filled right now, but we're at the top of the list for induction. We'll call at noon to see what the status is, and hopefully we'll go to the hospital this afternoon!

I'll keep ya posted! Thanks to everyone for your comments and thoughts yesterday. It definitely helped me think through our options and make a decision!

Now, we wait. And have I mentioned that I'm not very patient? Grrr... this time better pass quickly so we can GET MOVING! :)

I didn't make much progress from last week to this one. At my appointment today, I was 1 cm dilated, still 75% effaced. Cervix is soft and baby is very low. All good things, just not much in the way of change.

So, now I have a few options:

1. Wait to see what happens and let baby come on his own time.2. Induce on Thursday. I'd be 40 weeks, 5 days.3. Induce next Monday. I'd be 41 weeks, 2 days.

My doctor doesn't have any problem with induction. She says it's safer to deliver by around 41 weeks. I don't have any issues with using pain meds, so the stronger contractions in an induction aren't a concern for me. My doctor also says that she thinks I'd respond favorably to induction, since my body is already progressing some on its own. She doesn't think I am at any greater risk for a c-section, whether I would induce on Thursday or Monday (assuming he didn't come on his own).

I just don't know what to do. Timing-wise, I'd selfishly like to do Thursday because it fits our schedules better. But I don't know if we are rushing things too much. I also can't tell if the nagging feeling of nervousness I have right now, is just me being nervous about labor in general (the whole "this is really about to happen!" feeling) or if I am just uncomfortable about inducing Thursday and should postpone it. I really can't distinguish what I am feeling.

I'd appreciate your opinions on this. Many of you have been in this boat before, so please share your thoughts. Thanks :)

I am looking at my calendar at work, and tomorrow's date is circled, with HAVE BABY written in big block letters. I do not miss appointments that I mark on my calendar. Whether or not my child will follow my example... is another story entirely.

I feel kind of crappy today, but not really anything that makes me think I'm about to go into labor. My back hurts and I get these sharp pains down really low when I walk around or stand up. I think it's just the pressure of his head since he's so low.

This morning's appointment was a bit of a let-down. Not much has changed since my appointment on Tuesday night. I am about 1cm dilated, but not quite wide enough for the midwife to get her finger in there to give a really good swipe to the membranes. She thinks she got it, but can't be totally sure. She did say she'd guess I go into labor in the next few days, but really, who knows? I'd be better off getting a psychic's prediction at this point.

I am really, REALLY hoping that today is my last day at work. So, please, baby, come toward the light! Follow the exit signs! As odd as it seems, you only have a short distance to travel to get outta there... and it's time. See you (hopefully) SOON!

As Isabel pointed out, I need to be updating here every day now. Sorry if anyone happened to think I was in labor today due to my lack of posting earlier. I sure as hell wish I was in labor, but nope!

Unfortunately, I am here at work. While I was anchoring the news I even compared myself to a circus elephant that we did a story on today. Everyone at work is cracking up that I feel like an elephant right now, but it's totally true.

This kid needs to find the nearest vagina and make a speedy exit!

Up next... stripping of the membranes tomorrow! God, I really need to come up with something else to talk about! :)

With my due date approaching, this is all feeling sort of surreal. Have we really made it this far? Wow!

I had another doctor's appointment last night, and we made some more progress. I'm actually dilating now (although it's only a "fingertip" so far). I'm now 75% effaced, and my cervix is soft and almost ready to go. Baby is still very low and in the starting gate for labor.

My doctor tried to strip my membranes, but since my cervix is only a fingertip dilated, she said she couldn't actually do it. She could feel the amniotic sac, though, and said it was "right there" and bulging a little. Let me tell you, it was loads of fun to lie there as she fished around inside my hoo-ha. I'm glad she warned me that it wasn't going to be comfortable, because otherwise I would have jumped three feet off the examining table! My doctor has scheduled another appointment for me to come back on Friday to do the stripping (sounds sexy, doesn't it?) and hopefully that will kickstart labor.

But if nothing happens after that, I have an office visit set up for 3 days after my due date. My doctor says I could schedule an induction if I make it to that appointment, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

I just can't believe we've made it to this point. 39 weeks. How the time did fly! Jason took a few belly pics for me this weekend to celebrate hitting the 39 week mark, and here I am, in all my pregnant glory!

Wooooo. That is some belly. And, lest we forget how far I've come in this journey, let's look back at what my belly used to look like:

Why, oh why did I dislike that belly and wish for a flatter one? It's looking pretty damn good to me right about now! Guess it's that concept of "you don't know what you've got till it's gone!"

But back to reality... my boy has grown quite a bit, and I'm proud that I was able to provide such a secure home for him. Even if I do look like a whale. :)

The one saving grace here? Still no stretch marks. And, hell, even if some would start to crop up at this point, they shouldn't be too noticeable. Not sure how I've been so lucky, but I'll take it!

Still no signs of imminent labor! Despite Jason's chats with the baby to "hurry the hell up and come out already", it seems like our stubborn boy is quite comfy and isn't budging! Looks like I'm back to work tomorrow. Boo... I was hoping to start my maternity leave, but that won't happen until the Little Prince is born.

39 weeks today! But nothing is really going on to make me think he's coming soon. I did have a few contractions yesterday, but they weren't too strong and they were totally random.

This little boy is definitely outgrowing his cramped quarters! Now when he moves he is totally slamming into my organs. Not very comfortable! Hopefully he gets tired of the tight space and decides to join us here on "the other side."

Sorry for such a boring update, but I didn't want anyone having to come here and constantly check for any news! I'm definitely planning on doing a quick post when I am in early labor, before we head to the hospital, so I don't leave you in the dark about what's going on.

I think I lost my mucus plug (or part of it, anyway) this afternoon. Um, all I can say is that it's kind of gross. Unfortunately, like every other freaking symptom out there, this doesn't mean I'm going to go into labor soon.

I ran from the bathroom to Google "mucus plug." Okay, I actually waddled from the bathroom. But whatever. I was envisioning that I'd read, "You are going to go into labor in 8 hours! Congratulations!" or "Yes, you just passed snot from your special place. Baby is soon to follow."

No dilation yet, but there's some good news! Apparently the baby's head is engaged in the birth canal at zero station, which means he's slowly on his way outta there!

My cervix is also 50% effaced right now, so it seems like my body is taking the necessary steps before labor begins. Of course, labor could start anytime, but I can't get my hopes up that it will happen anytime soon. I still have 10 days until my due date, so we'll see what happens.

Here's the baby's room! We went with a puppy theme and had so much fun putting this together.

Puppy valance and denim curtains. The rocking horse was a gift from my parents, and though it will be awhile before he can ride it, I love it as a decoration for now!

The view from the doorway. The puppy comforter that came with the bedding set is hanging on the wall. Our glider and ottoman is in the corner.

Close up of the puppy bedding and the mobile in the crib.

The changing table, complete with yummy smelling baby lotions and shampoos. And of course, the Diaper Champ right next to it!

Another shot of the room. This one shows the crib. Over the crib we put up vinyl letters that say "Snips, snails and puppy dog tails. That's what little boys are made of."

It's so hard to show what everything looks like through still pictures! Hopefully you have a good idea of what it looks like now. I'm so glad that it's all done and now all we need is a baby to REALLY complete the room!

Not that I would delude myself to think that I have a bunch of rabid readers who are refreshing frequently for any updates... but here's an update! No baby yet... and 12 days to go until my due date.

We had a really nice weekend and enjoyed dinner out both nights. We also snuggled and napped together in the afternoon on both Saturday and Sunday. I figure we better enjoy it now, because all that is about to change soon!

We also completely finished the nursery! Everything is ready, and I hung the curtains and valance on Saturday. I took a bunch of pictures last night, and will add them here soon (hopefully tomorrow). And yes, my hospital bag is packed! I can't believe it's almost time!

Not much else is going on. We're just playing the waiting game now... let's hope we don't wait too long. :)

Yep. I got a flat tire last night, right before my OB appointment. Normally I'd change it myself, but I'm obviously not in the position to do that right now. Jason was an hour away (oh, and also on crutches). Fortunately, my very sweet nurse at my doctor's office called AAA and got it fixed for me.

Of course, that's not the end of the saga. I planned to get the tire replaced this morning before work, at a tire/auto center located within a superstore that rhymes with Small-Fart. Got there at 7 am, and sat and waited for almost one hour. It was then that a pimply-faced, rude Small-Fart employee shared the news that they actually didn't have the tire I needed in stock. Gee, thanks for nothing.

I proceed to drive to another tire center. The very nice manager tells me they don't have the tire I need, either. F*#$% @#$$%! But he directs me to another store location that does have my tire in stock! Yay!

Get to the other tire center, which is my third one so far this morning. They have my tire, they put it on, they align the wheels, and I finally got back on the road. The downside is that I was two hours late getting to work. Oh, and I'm out almost $250 bucks, which, incidentally, is also the amount of my insurance deductible for delivering at the hospital. So this month, I'll pay $500, and get a brand-spankin' new tire AND a baby in return! What a deal!

Moral of the story: I still have the spare tire around my middle, but at least my flat tire has been fixed.

Just 17 days until this little boy is due. I know, I know... he could come late. But he could also come early!

I'm really hoping for an early arrival. The past few days, this pregnancy has really been kicking my ass. My back is killing me, and oddly enough, it feels fine when I move or stand up. It's when I sit down or prop myself up in bed that I feel awful and get these shooting pains in the middle of my back. I've taken to sitting on my big rubber exercise ball at home, which feels fantastic.

I just feel like he's so much heavier now, and I am feeling more pressure/pain very low, like he's punching my cervix sometimes. No contractions yet, at least nothing that I am aware of. My body has done such a good job dealing with this pregnancy that I feel bad complaining now, but I'm carrying a lot of weight on a pretty small frame. It's about time I started to feel bad, I guess! :)

Along with the discomfort, comes a bad attitude. I'm definitely not the most cheerful person right now. I've snapped at poor Jason a bunch of times, and I don't even feel like talking much. At work, I sit in my own little world and ignore all the activity around me. It's like all my energy is going into just making it through each day as we head to the finish line.

The good news is that we are getting lots of things ready for baby's arrival. We finished everything in the nursery over the weekend, except for hanging the curtains. Once we get those up, I'll post some pics. I absolutely love how it turned out!

We have our Pack n Play, bouncer seat, swing, stroller, and carseat all set up and ready to go. Wow, we have a lot of gear for such a tiny little person!

Other good news... Jason will be off his crutches on Thursday, so he'll be able to move around much better. That should take a lot of pressure off me to do things around the house. He's been trying to do a lot to help, but there's only so much you can do when you are on crutches. He'll be in a walking cast for a few weeks, but at least he'll be walking!

And... despite the fact that I feel like my skin is just sort of tightly wrapped around the baby's butt, elbows, and knees right now, STILL no stretch marks. Even if they cropped up now, I can't imagine they'd get too big. Yay for that.

I'm too tired to come up with some sort of conclusion to this mish-mash of an update... so I'll just say bye for now!

You know you have yourself a good baby-daddy when you arrive at work to find a delivery box on your desk, with this inside:

Yeah, my husband sent this Vermont Teddy Bear to me, as a little pick-me-up during these final few weeks of baby-baking. Not only does she have a little pregnant belly, but of course she's armed with an ice cream cone, topped with a dill pickle! :)